Tag Archives: Stalin

Millions of Russians still believe in the Stalin myth which argues his leadership in the war prevented defeat and if not for organizing resistance to the Nazi invasion, defeat was most probable. Prime Minister Putin still harbors nostalgia for a man who came close to leading Russia into a disastrous defeat. As Putin recently stated: “no one can throw a stone against those who organized and led the victory.” It has been extensively documented that Stalin came close to leading his nation to defeat, not victory. He was repeatedly told a German invasion would shortly begin, but refused to allow military commanders to take the initiative because of fear it might anger Hitler. The result was disaster during the initial six months of the German invasion during which time over three million Russian soldiers were captured and millions of others killed or wounded. In fact, there is evidence during the first weeks of the invasion, Stalin was, literally, paralyzed with fear. After that initial collapse, he did recover to help lead the nation.

President Medvedev, unlike Putin, wants the world to know, “there is no way that Stalin will return to our everyday life. That’s absolutely impossible… The Great Patriotic War was won by our people, not by Stalin or even military commanders. Stalin committed a lot of crimes against our people.” He also promised the “people should know the whole truth about the war.”

Stalin killed millions of his own people, and Medvedev is correct in stating the Russian people won the war, despite Stalin mistakes.

The origin of World War II continues to be a hot issue on the political scene as President Dimitry Medvedev insists his nation was the savior, not the instigator of the world conflict. He told the media it was a “flat-out lie” that dictator Joseph Stalin had anything to do with causing the war. He accused the Ukraine and Baltic states of attempting to smear the Soviet Union as the brutal force in the war and ignore their own participation in collaborating with Nazi Germany. Medvedev was furious the EU passed a resolution equating Stalinism with Nazism.

At the center of the World War II debate is Stalin’s decision to sign a non-aggression pact with Hitler in 1939. The agreement also included turning eastern Poland over to Russia once Germany conquered Poland. Stalin later argued without eastern Poland in Russia’s possession, Nazi Germany would have taken Moscow in the winter of 1941. His argument has validity, but Medvedev ignores the UK warned Stalin of a German attack in June, 1941 and he ignored it resulting in devastating Russian casualties.

Is the Soviet Union akin to Nazi Germany. In terms of being dictatorial, in terms of having racist policies, in terms of having death camps, the comparison has some validity. But, the Soviet Union under Stalin was NOT an expansionist nation and had no dreams of conquering all of Europe. That was a critical difference. Medvedev is absolutely correct in arguing the Soviet Union in WW II bore the brunt of the German army, at least 70% throughout most of the fighting.

Medvedev is also correct in arguing the Ukraine had many collaborators with Nazi Germany and the Germans readily had the support of many in the Baltic states for the anti-Jewish atrocities. The bottom line is the world is better off that Nazi Germany was defeated and the Soviet Union eventually disintegrated.

Joseph Stalin was dictator of the Soviet Union from the 1920s until his death in 1953. Over twenty five million died because of his brutality and he failed to take adequate preparations when Nazi Germany was preparing to invade his nation. During his reign of terror anyone who did not agree he was the greatest person on planet Earth wound up in a special camp in Siberia. A recent television contest in Russia saw him grab the third position as to who was the greatest historical figure in Russian history, but in his native Georgia, poor old Joe did not even make the top fifty. A web site inspired by the Russian contest, Badnameofrussia.ru is asking people today who they rate as the person who is the “disgrace of Russia.” Prime Minister Vladmir Putin tops the list.

In recent years every time there has been an election in Russia, Putin comes in number one. If he doesn’t, then figures area adjusted to ensure he is the leader. Apparently, his people got confused when they heard there was a contest about who was tops in Russia, they naturally assumed their hero had to win it. Once again, Vladmir tops the list.

Gorbachev, former leader of the now defunct Soviet Union. urged his nation to erect a memorial to honor those who were victims of the reign of terror that was so common under the dicatorship of Joseph Stalin. “Forgetfullness must be overcome, democracy and freedom must be strengthened” in the new Russia. Gorbachev’s idea of creating a memorial to those who were victims of Stalin’s brutality will probably not find warm support from Vladmir Putin who continually insists Russians should not feel guilty about what happened when Stalin ruled. It is increasingly common in Russian school curriculum for Stalin to be glorified as a great hero who led his nation to victory in WWII. Of course, lost in this glorification is Stalin’s incompetence and failure to heed warnings about an oncoming German attack in 1941.

Gorbachev made an important point by noting how Russia honors those who fought so gallantly in WWII but “as for the memory of people who fell into the millstone of Stalin’s repression, there is a great deal to be done.”

Mr. Gorbachev also suggested it is perhaps time for Lenin’s body to find a quiet resting place in the earth.

During the dictatorial regime of Joseph Stalin a favorite tactic was to send opponents for a stay in the nearest psychiatric ward since, by definition, anyone who opposed the Communist party must be mentally ill. President Putin apparently hasn’t forgotten his training in the KGB because Roman Nikoiachik, a lawyer and member of the Other Russia opposition party, has been locked up in a psychatric hospital in the Tver region. A woman who answered the phone at Litvinov Psychiatric hospital No.1 in the Tve region town of Busharevo said he was in an isolation ward.

Nikolichik was questioned about his supposed involvement in a murder and when police ended the process, a convenient doctor became avaialble who delcared the activist obviously mentally ill. Prosecutors claimed they never talked to the man and had no knowledge of how he got into the hosptial. So far, it has not been possible to talk with his wife about the situation, but the imprisonment is not a good sign regarding the mental health of Russian leaders when they have to lock up people for daring to challenge Putin’s rule.